Electric traffic signal



Aug. 1, 1939. J. H. BRADY ELECTRIC TRAFFIC SIGNAL 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 14, 1937 Aug. 1, 1939.

J. H. BRADY ELECTRIC TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed Oct. 14, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 PatentedAug. 1,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC 'raamc SIGNAL James Henry Brady, Louisville, Ky. Application October 14, 1937, Serial No. 169,013

12 Claims. (01. 177-328) The invention relates to electric'trafllc signals, having for an object to provide signal lights of contrasting colors in horizontal ribbon form, using the common neon lights for the red signals and the proper gas used instead of neon for the green signals. Another object is to provide such ribbon-form lights at right angles to each other and a holder for said lights having arms at right angles to each other and open at opposite sides to permit the lights to show through so'that each light will face in opposite directions. Another object is to provide the holder with a control box located at the intersection of the arms thereof and having therein located the means for electrically illuminating and extinguishing the lights in timed relation. Another object is to provide said arms of the holder with shields at the free. ends of the arms to prevent confusion'of signals. Another object is to provide the signal lights of contrasting colors in two setsfacing traffic in different directions, each set comprising a plurality of lights of each of the contrasting colors, the contrasting color lights of the two sets being simultaneously illuminated and thereafter extinguished one by one at equal time intervals until all are extinguished so that the stop and go periods will be divided into parts to clearly indicate what portions of the periods remain for traflic to use, after which the signal lights of the opposite color of each set are simultaneously illuminated and thereafter extinguished one by one at equal time intervals until all are extinguished to complete one of repeated cycles. Another object is to provide such a traillc signal of economical construction and simple operation. Another object is to provide means to shield traflic from any bright light located beyond the signal lights shining through the signal lights. Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

The invention consists in the novel construc-.'

tion and combinations of'parts as hereinafter set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings: h

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of the signal lights and the holder therefor.

Figure 2 is a horizontal cross sectional view of the same.

Figure 3 is a detail plan view of one of the light tubes.

Figure 4 is a detail side view of the control timer.

Figure 5 is a detail end view of the same, with the shaft in section. 4

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view, showing the invention as in use for intersecting streets.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view of the wiring, the transformers, the light tubes, the cams, etc. In these drawings, the numeral I designates the vertical support 'or holder for the horizontally extended signal lights to be described, said holder 5 having two horizontally extended arms 2, at right angles to each other and being of L-shape.

Each of the arms 2, 2, is hollow and is provided with a vertical transverse partition 5, having perforations 6, engaged by the arms of transparent 10 U-shaped tubes I, to support said tubes in horizontal position, said tubes containing each a g s showing a .distinctive color when an electric current is passed therethrough, such as neon for the red signals and the proper gas used instead of green illuminated tubes or lights and a plurality ofdead red extinguished tubes or -lights facing traflic going in opposite directions on one street, and 'a set of a plurality of dead extinguished green tubes or lights and a plurality of live illuminated red tubes or lights facing traflic going in opposite directions on an intersecting street,

the control box to be described containing electrically controlled means for illuminating said live green tubes and said live red tubes simultaneously, for thereafter extinguishing the lights 80 of each color one by one at equal time intervals until all are extinguished, for illuminating said dead green tubes and said dead red tubes simultaneously and for thereafter extinguishing the tubes of each color one by one at equal time intervals until all are extinguished to complete a cycle. The U-shaped tubes 1 areadapted to be readily engaged with the perforations 6 of the partitions 5, being inserted through the outer Open ends of each of the arms 2, said ends being afterwards closed by a suitable closure 8, which may be readily removed and replaced for ready access to said tubes for removal and replacement thereof. The U-shaped-tubes I are arranged each with both arms or branches thereof in the same horizontal plane, and when lighted up shine through both sides of each of the arms 2 of the support or holder, which sides are open and glass inclosed at 9.

The horizontally extended signal lights I are .50

spaced outwardly of the horizontally extended arms 2 of the holder i sumciently to show the entire signal lights from one end thereof to the other to all approaching trafllc up to and including the stopping points of said tramc at the intersection of the streets, and to provide a vacant space constituting a control box 3, located at the intersection of said arms 2, and containing the means for electrically illuminating and extinguishing the signal lights in timed relation to be described.

The end closures 8, for the outer ends of the hollow arms 2 of the holder or support, in conjunction with lateral extensions to, of said 010- sures, afford shields extending around the end portions of the signal lights to prevent confusion of signals, or so that trailic approaching the signal lights along one street will not see the signal lights controlling traflic on the intersecting street.

Means are provided to shield traflic from any bright light located beyond the signal lights shining through the signal lights, comprising a vertical opaque partition I0, located in the intervals between the arms or branches of each set of the signal tubes I, said partion being notched at Illa, to receive the central portions of the bends of the U-shaped tubes I to aid in supporting said tubes in horizontal position within the holder or support.

The electrical illumination andextinguishing of the signal lights in repeated cycles as aforesaid ls accomplished by means described as follows:-

Each of the U-shaped tubes I has the free ends of the arms or branches thereof provided with metallic ferrules I I, which when the tubes are placed in position in the support or holder make electrical contact with wires I2 of a small transformer I3, which is adapted to step up the electrlc current from 110 volts to 2000 volts. Each transformer 53 lights up two tubes I only, namely one green tube located in one of the arms 2 of said support and one red tube located in the other arm 2 of said support, so that when the green tubes are alone illuminated for one street, the red tubes will be illuminated alone for the intersecting street.

There are eight of these small transformers I3 for the complete signal device operating eight pairs of the U-shaped tubes 1, which number sixteen U-shaped tubes in all.

The 110 volt electric current wiring is connected with a control device or timer, consisting of a motor I4, such for instance as is used for the common electrical clock and driving a shaft I5, whereon are carried a plurality of cams I8, each having a circumferential notched portion I'I, these notched portions being of different contour, spring fingers I8 being normally held outwardly by the unnotched circumferential portions of the cams and when engaging the notched portions of the cams during the rotation of the latter moving inwardly through inherent spring to cause the free ends of said fingers to make electrical contact at I9 with the aforesaid transformers to conduct the 110 volt supply current thereto.

Due to the arrangement or setting of the cams I6 to dispose the notched portions I'I thereof in proper order and to the different contour of said notchedportions, the U-shaped tubes I constituting the signal lights will be illuminated and extinguished in repeated cycles as stated.

The shaft I5 and the cams thereof rotate for example once per minute, the notched portion II in each cam making the electrical contact for the length of time desired for'each pair of light tubes. The first cam I6 makes the contact for the topmost green tube in one arm of the holder and the topmost red tube in the other arm thereof, these tubes staying lighted for only one-eighth of a minute (seven and one-half seconds). The second cam I6 makes the electrical contact at the same time that the first cam does, but holds the contact for one-fourth of a minute (fifteen seconds). The third cam I6 makes the contact at the same instant that the first and second cams do, but holds the contact twenty two and onehalf seconds. The fourth cam I6 makes the contact at the same instant that the first, second and third cams do, and holds its contact for thirty seconds.

Thus all four light tubes of the one color in one arm of the holder are illuminated simultaneously with the four light tubes of the contrasting color in the other arm of the holder, after which the contact is broken by the first cam I6 and the uppermost green tube in one arm of the holder and the uppermost red tube in the other arm thereof are simultaneously extinguished, leaving three green tubes and three red tubes still illuminated. Then the second cam I6 breaks its contact and the next pair of tubes of contrasting colors are simultaneously extinguished. Then the third cam I6 breaks its contact and the next pair of tubes of contrasting colors are simultaneously extinguished. Finally the fourth cam I6 breaks its contact and the fourth pair of tubes of contrasting colors are simultaneously extinguished. By this time, the shaft I5 and the cams it have made one half of a rotation and have affected the four green tubes in one arm of the holder and the four red tubes in the other arm thereof. At this time, said cams are adapted to permit the four spring fingers I8 on the other side of the timer to spring into place, which makes the contact to illuminate simultaneously the other eight pairs of tubes previously unafiected, etc. In other words, all four of the cams I6 make the electrical contact at the same instant, but these four contacts are broken one at a time, etc.

I claim: l

1. In an electric trafllc signal unit, two horizontally extended signal lights of contrasting colors facing trafiic going in opposite directions on one street, two horizontally extended signal lights of contrasting colors at right angles to the first named lights facing trafllc going in opposite directions on an intersecting street, and an L-form holder for said signal lights having two horizontally extended arms at right angles to each other, each arm being open at opposite sides to permit the signal lights to show through, said signal lights being spaced outwardly of the arms of said holder sufficiently to show the entire signal lights to all approaching trafiic up to and including the stopping points of said traflic at the street intersection.

2. In an electric traflic signal unit, two horizontally extended signal lights of contrasting colors facing traific going in opposite directions on one street, two horizontally extended signal lights of contrasting colors at right angles to the first named lights facing traflic going in opposite directions on an intersecting street, and an L-form holder for said signal lights having two horizontally extended arms at right angles to each other, each arm being open at opposite sides to permit the signal lights to show through, said signal lights being spaced outwardly of the arms of said holder sufficiently to show the entire signal lights to all approaching traffic at the street intersection and to provide a vacant space constituting a control box at the intersection of the holder arms and means for electrically illuminating and i first named lights facing trailic going in opposite directions on an intersecting street, anL-form holder for said signal lights having two horizontally extended arms at right angles to each other, each arm being open at opposite sides to permit the lights to show through, said arms having shields extending aroundthe end portions of i said lights to prevent confusion of signals, said signal lights being spaced outwardly of the arms of said holder sufficiently to show the entire signal lights to all approaching traflic up to and" including the stopping points of said trafllc at the street intersection.

4. In an electric trafllc signal unit, two horizontally extended signal lights of contrasting colors facing traffic going in opposite directions on one street, two horizontally extended signal lights of contrasting colors at right angles tothe first named lights facing traflic going in opposite directions on an intersecting street, each of said signal lights comprising a transparent tube containing a gas showing a distinctive color when an electric current is passed therethrou gh', said unit having a single holder and a single location.

5. In an electric trafllc signal unit, two horizontally extended signal lights of contrasting colors facing trafllc going in opposite directions on one street, two horizontally extended signal lights of contrasting colors at' right angles to the first named lights facing traflic goingin opposite direc'-' tions on an intersecting street, each of said signal lights comprising a transparent tube containing a gas showing a distinctivecolor when an electric current is passed therethrough, and an L-form holder for said signal lights having two horizontally extended arms at right angles to each other,'each arm being open at opposite sides to permit the lightsto shine through, said signal lights being spaced outwardly of the arms of said holder sufllciently to show the entire signal lights to all approaching trafllc up to and including the stopping points of said traffic at the street intersection and to provide a vacant space constituting a control box at the arms intersection, and means for electrically'illumlnating and extinguishing said lights in timed relation located in said ,con-

trol' box.

6. In an electric trafllc signal unit, two horizontally extended lights of contrasting colors facing trafllc going in opposite directions on'one street, two horizontally extended signal lights of contrasting colors at right angles to the first named lights facing trafllc going in opposite directions on an intersecting street, each of said signal lights comprising a transparent tube conof said lights to prevent confusion of signals, said signal lights being spaced outwardly of the arms of said holder sufficiently to show the entire signal lights to all approachingtr'afllc up to and including the stopping points of said trafllc at the streetzontally extended signal lights of contrasting colors facing trafllc going in opposite directions on one street, two horizontallyextended signal lights of contrasting colors at right angles tothe first named lights facing traillc going in opposite directions on an intersecting street, each of said lights comprising a U-shaped transparent tube the branches of which are in the same horizontal plane and containing a gas showing a distinctive color when an electric current is passed therethrough, said unit having a single holder'and a single location. e

8. In an electric trafllc signal unit, two horizontally extended signal lights of contrasting colors facing trafllc going in opposite directions on one street, two horizontally extended signal lights of contrasting colors at right angles to the first named lights facing trafllc going in opposite directions on an intersecting street, each of said lights comprising a U-shaped transparenttube the branches. of which-are in the same horizontal plane and containing a gas' showing a distinctive color when an electric current is passed therethrough, and vertical opaque screen means located l between the branches of said tubes for shielding traflic from any bright light located beyond the signal lights shining through the signal lights.

9. In an electric traffic signal unit, aset of a plurality of live green lights and a plurality of dead red lights facing tramc in one directidn, a set of a plurality of live red lights and a plurality of dead green lights facing tramc in another direction, and electrically controlled means for illuminating said live green and live red lights simultaneously, for thereafter extinguishing the lights of each color one by one at equal time intervals until all are extinguished, for illuminating said dead green lights and dead red lights simultaneously and for thereafter extinguishing the lights of each color one .by one atequal time intervals until all are extinguished to complete a cycle, said unit having a single holder and a single location.

10. In an electric tramc signal unit, a set of a plurality of live green lights and a plurality of dead red lightsli'acing tramc going in opposite directions on one street, a set of a plurality of live red lights and a plurality of dead green lights facing trafllc going in opposite directions on an intersecting street, and electrically controlled means for illuminating the live green lights and live red lights simultaneously, for thereafter extinguishing the lights of each color one hy one at equal time intervals until all are extinguished,

for illuminating saidv dead green lights and dead.

red lights'simultaneously and for thereafter extinguishlng the lights of each color one by one at equal time intervals until all are extinguished to complete a cycle, said unit having a single holder anda single location.

11. In an electric traiflc signal unit, a set of a plurality of live green lights and a plurality of dead red-lights facing trafllc going in opposite directions on one street, a set of a plurality of live red lights and a plurality of dead green lights facing traillc going in opposite directions on an intersecting street, and electrically controlled means for illuminating the live green lights and live red lights simultaneously, for thereafter extinguishing the lights of each color one by one at equal time intervals until all are-extinguished, for-illuminating saiddead green lights and dead red lights simultaneously, for thereafter extinguishing the lights of each color one by one at equal time intervals until all are extinguished to complete a cycle, each of said lights being horizontally extended, and an L-iorm holder for said lights having horizontally extended arms open at opposite sides topermit the lights to show through, said signal lights being spaced outwardly of the arms of said holder sumciently to show the entire signal lights to all approaching trafllc up to and including the stopping points of said trai'flc at the street intersection and to provide a vacant space constituting a box for said electrically controlled means located at the arms intersection of said holder.

12. In an electric traflic signal unit, a set of a plurality of live green lights and a plurality of dead red lights facing tramc going in opposite directions on one street, a set of a plurality of live red lights and a plurality of dead green lights facing trafllc going in opposite directions on an intersecting street, electrically controlled means for illuminating said live green lights and said live red lights simultaneously, for thereafter extinguishing the lights of each color one by one at equal time intervals until all are extinguished, for illuminating said dead green lights and dead red lights simultaneously and for thereafter extinguishing the lights of each color one by one at equal time intervals until all are extinguished to complete a cycle. each of said lights comprising a U-shaped transparent tube containing a gas showing a distinctive color when an electric curr rent is passed therethrough and the branches of which tube are in the same horizontal plane, an L-form holder for the two sets of tubes open at opposite sides to permit the lights to show through, said holder having two horizontally ex- 1' tended arms at right angles to each other and each arm containing one of said sets of tubes, and an opaque vertical partition located in the intervals between the branches of all of the tubes of each set to thereby shield trafllc from any bright 1, light located beyond the signal lights shining through the signal lights, said holder arms having shields extending'around the end portions of said tubes to prevent confusion of signals, said signal lights being spaced outwardly of the arms of said 2 holder sufllciently to show the entire signal lights to all approaching traflic up to.and including the stopping points of said traflic at the street intersection and to provide a vacant space constituting a box for said electrically controlled means 2 located at the arms intersection 0! said holder.

JAMIES HENRY BRADY. 

